Sweet November- a springy Hawaiian November 14th
Recently, during my trip to meet Liam, I discovered one of my Grandmother's old travel journals-it was a really great reminder for me why it is so important to record your memories. We got to read about her trip across the country with my grandfather about 12-13 years ago. She wrote about visiting us in Chicago- where we ate, what we were into and talking about. I guess she even did the whole Alcatraz Sanfrisco Bay tour that I took them on two years ago- thinking it was the coolest thing they would ever do- she didn't mention that she had done it before- but that is because my grandmother exhbits a particular charm, humility, and grace, which I could only hope to achieve through my years on this earth. I digress, the important thing here is writing. Our generation is very lucky, we can preserve our memories is nicely compact and accessible online locations- such as livejournal and flickr. No more digging through boxes and detiorating scrapbooks- although i'm sure there will still be some of that. ( we have scrapbooks still- and I have a lot of friends that are scrapbook fanatics) but the scrapbooking world has definitely been altered by this online medium. (OK duh..this has lost its insightfulness)So anywho I thought this the perfect time to update, as I am waiting on my ipod to charge so I can go to the gym - since I slept in during practice today, and then maybe swim too, and visit John on staff duty. Saturday staff duty is such an awful thing..it takes away you whole weekend- we actually had plans to go camping and hiking this weekend. O well, such is life :)
Quick update- life on the Hojoe homestead as been a little stressful lately. We did manage to get on two really good hikes the 1st and teh 8th. The 1st on Kealia Trail which is 7.5 miles, a beautifully maintained trail- with heart beating hills, and and awesome overlook of Makua Valley. (which is my goal to get into- even though its owned by the army)Last Sunday we did Pupukea summit- but got lost and added an extra mile- making it about 10 miles. The army recently put a road through the hiking area (the army owns way too much of Oahu) but once we found the summit trail for the Ko'olau mountains, we had a nice actually hiking trail, complete with fresh mud, and lots of we trees and plants. We even saw a young pig, and tons of hunting dogs, but that was before the narrow trai- they are all super sweet somehow- not what you would expect. Hiking has been good- but otherthings not so much. John and I are both putting in crazy hours between work and school right now. Debbie quit- sort of- and I have been working just about 40 hours a week, with the commute to Honolulu it becomes quite a lot more. On top of that I'm taking 4 graduate classes. Despite the fact that thesse classes can be pretty easy I need to make sure my work reflects what I want to do in the future- get an advanced degree in Ecological Economics (more on that in a second), and then on top of that there is paddling and running- which I want so bad not to gain the weight I lost during paddle back, but then I also want to drink beer and eat cheeseburgers- so its a bad combination. I have been trying to get out- but it hasn't been too great. I ran 4 miles this week, and did a ton of pull ups. Last week I paddled on Wed evening- and felt really out of shape. They kkept asking me how I was doing- which seemed like a bad sign (must have been breathing hard) It has been hard breathing during physical activity since this summer- I can't help but wonder if I really aggravated my asthma for good. But anywho, like I said before I should have gone paddle this morning- but sleeping in felt so good. I also don't know if I want to paddle oc6 right now. Since it now looks like John will get deployed again, I want to do everything that we like to do together. Plus I want to explore other things during the off season- like hiking, swimming, camping, two-man paddle, etc.. I don't want to be completely committed to paddling all the time againt til maybe mid January- February. I don't knowwhere my position on paddling is right now. Lately I feel like I'm more focused on leaving Hawaii then staying. I've been doing a lot of planning for our next step, so it has been difficult to live in the moment- and think about myf riends here, and paddling. I find myself not wanting to hang out with them, and really sinceI don't go to Kamaha'o anymore, I only have Nat right now. I'm nervous too though, that if I dont' paddle I will be miserable when John leaves me...plus I will miss it, but if I miss it, then I will just get out and paddle again right? This is not the dilemma it appears to be. lol....Other highlights, I went to a Sierra Club function last weekend..very stylish (silent auction) and something fun and different for me. (I'm all about doing things out of the comfort zones these days- I think this is because I have taken on these new roles at work) Saturday last week John and I spent all day making more room in our house by moving things around, then we went to Outback for dinner, and watched the movie Blood Surf- about a killer salty (salt water crocodile) who likes to eat surfers, who chum the water for sharks - it was an awful movie, but a fun relaxing date night. Lately I've been feeling myself drifting away from going out- partly because when we go out all our friends seem to be looking to hook up. I love all my friends- single, and taken- but that mentality gets old, and usally leads to me overdrinking. Which really gets OLD!!! I miss the STegers, who we get together with drink margaritas andplay WII, or the Cains who we make dinner with then play spoons (while drinking)- even my friends in Monterey- they were single, but could go out to hang out, not look to hook up. This is something that has been weighing on my lately, and probably contributing to my future oriented, post-Hawaii, mind set. But, recently we had contact from the Cains again,so I am hoping we may hang out with them soon. Despite everything that happens, when they are together, and we all hang out, it is normally a pretty good time. Last night we went out to Chillis- did a cross word while we waited for dinner, and spent some time discussion population models, and army cadences. We then came home and watched Dexter Season 1 on netflix- Carolyn is getting us addicted :)
So future planning- these are the schools I'm highlighting and some pros and cons- they are all expensive- so I am going to stop putting that as a con
Rennasleur Polytechnic Institute- PhD in Ecological Economics
Location =: NY City
Duration: Probably about a year or so
Pros
PhD program
close to family and friends
J could go to school
Cons
hard to getinto
expensive to live in NY
Need better GRE scores
Need to take more Pre-reqs
University of Vermont- MACertificat in Ecological Economics
Duration: Probably 6 months to a year
Pro
probably shorter
not many prereqs
Most likely to get in- safety program
Con
J probably would not go to school till after
only a certificate-
California State University- Stanislaus- MS in Ecology and Sustainabilty, concentration Ecological Economics
Location: Stanislaus, California (near Yosemite, Modesto, and not too far from Sacramento)
Duration- probably 3 years!
Pros
California- we would have fun anywhere, but it is really close to yosemite
Close to friends
John could go to same school-probably live in married housing?
Good program!!
Cons
Would need to establish residency to get better financial aid and tuition (work a year first?) or will have to pay more!
Probably will be about 31 before i finish
When to start a family?
Expensive to live in CA
When to start a family weighs in on all of my decisions really, because I want us to start a family in the next few years. But these are choice we must make, the CA choice would probably help even John and I up on career potential becaus he would finish his degree, and possibly more, while I am getting my Masters 9(he already has his associates) I think I will apply all around, but CA may be my top choice only because it is such a good program- grounded in application. Tough to say.
Right now I must focus on all that i have going on, I need to get into a basic economics course and an advanced Environmental Science class for the winter and spring, and then focus on economics and Math for summer and possiblyone next fall, I know it is expensive, but if we are frugal hopefully we can come out still okay enough to work, have a family, and continue being adventurous and generous. OO I also have to focus on taking my GRES, and also right now I need to stay focused on school, work, and working out RIGHT NOW...as well as Christmas season, which is the first J and I spent together in 3 years. I want to truly cherish this Christmas, because last Christmas was so awful. Leify was missing, we had all planned onspoiing him for Christmas and were left with no one to take care of. John was gone too, and it was a sadness that marked the whole holiday. This year though, John is here for the whole season. We are putting up a tree, lights, drinking hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies, and going downtown to watch the Christmas lights celebration :) Then we are going to AZ for Christmas eve, and spending it where we belong. Somehow I have to figure out how to spoil Liam, but not give into the commercialism of Christmas....that is the big dilemma this year. :)
Quick update- life on the Hojoe homestead as been a little stressful lately. We did manage to get on two really good hikes the 1st and teh 8th. The 1st on Kealia Trail which is 7.5 miles, a beautifully maintained trail- with heart beating hills, and and awesome overlook of Makua Valley. (which is my goal to get into- even though its owned by the army)Last Sunday we did Pupukea summit- but got lost and added an extra mile- making it about 10 miles. The army recently put a road through the hiking area (the army owns way too much of Oahu) but once we found the summit trail for the Ko'olau mountains, we had a nice actually hiking trail, complete with fresh mud, and lots of we trees and plants. We even saw a young pig, and tons of hunting dogs, but that was before the narrow trai- they are all super sweet somehow- not what you would expect. Hiking has been good- but otherthings not so much. John and I are both putting in crazy hours between work and school right now. Debbie quit- sort of- and I have been working just about 40 hours a week, with the commute to Honolulu it becomes quite a lot more. On top of that I'm taking 4 graduate classes. Despite the fact that thesse classes can be pretty easy I need to make sure my work reflects what I want to do in the future- get an advanced degree in Ecological Economics (more on that in a second), and then on top of that there is paddling and running- which I want so bad not to gain the weight I lost during paddle back, but then I also want to drink beer and eat cheeseburgers- so its a bad combination. I have been trying to get out- but it hasn't been too great. I ran 4 miles this week, and did a ton of pull ups. Last week I paddled on Wed evening- and felt really out of shape. They kkept asking me how I was doing- which seemed like a bad sign (must have been breathing hard) It has been hard breathing during physical activity since this summer- I can't help but wonder if I really aggravated my asthma for good. But anywho, like I said before I should have gone paddle this morning- but sleeping in felt so good. I also don't know if I want to paddle oc6 right now. Since it now looks like John will get deployed again, I want to do everything that we like to do together. Plus I want to explore other things during the off season- like hiking, swimming, camping, two-man paddle, etc.. I don't want to be completely committed to paddling all the time againt til maybe mid January- February. I don't knowwhere my position on paddling is right now. Lately I feel like I'm more focused on leaving Hawaii then staying. I've been doing a lot of planning for our next step, so it has been difficult to live in the moment- and think about myf riends here, and paddling. I find myself not wanting to hang out with them, and really sinceI don't go to Kamaha'o anymore, I only have Nat right now. I'm nervous too though, that if I dont' paddle I will be miserable when John leaves me...plus I will miss it, but if I miss it, then I will just get out and paddle again right? This is not the dilemma it appears to be. lol....Other highlights, I went to a Sierra Club function last weekend..very stylish (silent auction) and something fun and different for me. (I'm all about doing things out of the comfort zones these days- I think this is because I have taken on these new roles at work) Saturday last week John and I spent all day making more room in our house by moving things around, then we went to Outback for dinner, and watched the movie Blood Surf- about a killer salty (salt water crocodile) who likes to eat surfers, who chum the water for sharks - it was an awful movie, but a fun relaxing date night. Lately I've been feeling myself drifting away from going out- partly because when we go out all our friends seem to be looking to hook up. I love all my friends- single, and taken- but that mentality gets old, and usally leads to me overdrinking. Which really gets OLD!!! I miss the STegers, who we get together with drink margaritas andplay WII, or the Cains who we make dinner with then play spoons (while drinking)- even my friends in Monterey- they were single, but could go out to hang out, not look to hook up. This is something that has been weighing on my lately, and probably contributing to my future oriented, post-Hawaii, mind set. But, recently we had contact from the Cains again,so I am hoping we may hang out with them soon. Despite everything that happens, when they are together, and we all hang out, it is normally a pretty good time. Last night we went out to Chillis- did a cross word while we waited for dinner, and spent some time discussion population models, and army cadences. We then came home and watched Dexter Season 1 on netflix- Carolyn is getting us addicted :)
So future planning- these are the schools I'm highlighting and some pros and cons- they are all expensive- so I am going to stop putting that as a con
Rennasleur Polytechnic Institute- PhD in Ecological Economics
Location =: NY City
Duration: Probably about a year or so
Pros
PhD program
close to family and friends
J could go to school
Cons
hard to getinto
expensive to live in NY
Need better GRE scores
Need to take more Pre-reqs
University of Vermont- MACertificat in Ecological Economics
Duration: Probably 6 months to a year
Pro
probably shorter
not many prereqs
Most likely to get in- safety program
Con
J probably would not go to school till after
only a certificate-
California State University- Stanislaus- MS in Ecology and Sustainabilty, concentration Ecological Economics
Location: Stanislaus, California (near Yosemite, Modesto, and not too far from Sacramento)
Duration- probably 3 years!
Pros
California- we would have fun anywhere, but it is really close to yosemite
Close to friends
John could go to same school-probably live in married housing?
Good program!!
Cons
Would need to establish residency to get better financial aid and tuition (work a year first?) or will have to pay more!
Probably will be about 31 before i finish
When to start a family?
Expensive to live in CA
When to start a family weighs in on all of my decisions really, because I want us to start a family in the next few years. But these are choice we must make, the CA choice would probably help even John and I up on career potential becaus he would finish his degree, and possibly more, while I am getting my Masters 9(he already has his associates) I think I will apply all around, but CA may be my top choice only because it is such a good program- grounded in application. Tough to say.
Right now I must focus on all that i have going on, I need to get into a basic economics course and an advanced Environmental Science class for the winter and spring, and then focus on economics and Math for summer and possiblyone next fall, I know it is expensive, but if we are frugal hopefully we can come out still okay enough to work, have a family, and continue being adventurous and generous. OO I also have to focus on taking my GRES, and also right now I need to stay focused on school, work, and working out RIGHT NOW...as well as Christmas season, which is the first J and I spent together in 3 years. I want to truly cherish this Christmas, because last Christmas was so awful. Leify was missing, we had all planned onspoiing him for Christmas and were left with no one to take care of. John was gone too, and it was a sadness that marked the whole holiday. This year though, John is here for the whole season. We are putting up a tree, lights, drinking hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies, and going downtown to watch the Christmas lights celebration :) Then we are going to AZ for Christmas eve, and spending it where we belong. Somehow I have to figure out how to spoil Liam, but not give into the commercialism of Christmas....that is the big dilemma this year. :)